Steam-washer.



No. 64|,836. Patented lan. 23, |900.

W. P. BURKE.

STEAM WASHER.

(Appuwihn mea am. 7, 1399.)

(Nu Model.)

Y 2 Nonms Pafzns no., PMomLm-w., wAsMlNG'ron. n. c,

UNITED STATESA PATENT OFFICE.

WASHINGTON P. BURKE, OFVQUITMAN, GEORGA.

STEAM-WASH ER.

SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Patent No. 641,836, dated January 23, 1900.

Application filed January 7, 18.99.

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that LWASHINGTON P. BURKE, a citizen of the United States, residing near Quitman, in the county of Brooks and State of Georgia, have invented a new and useful Steam-Washer, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to improvements in steam-washers. V

The object of the present invention is to improve the construction of steam-washers, more especially that shown and described in Patent No. 503,262, granted me August 15, 1893, and to provide simple, inexpensive, and efficient means for enabling a fresh supply of hot Water to be provided after the clothes or other fabric have been once steamed and the Water within the inner steamer has become saturated with dirt, and thereby enable the clothes to be rinsed with clean hot Water Without having to handle them in dirty suds.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claim hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a steam-washer constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view, the covers being removed. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view. Fig. 4 is a detail view illustrating the manner of mounting the sliding cut-oft or valve.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the draws ings.

1 designates a sheet-metal washboiler provided With a vertical longitudinal partition 2, dividing it into a main compartment 3 and a supplemental water-receptacle 4, which is adapted to contain a supply of clean hot Water that may be discharged into themain comparta ment after the clothes being washed have been steamed and the water and suds originally contained therein have become saturated with dirt and have been drawn oft. Within the main compartment is arranged a steamer 5, constructed similar to that shown and described in the patent above referred to, being provided at the top with perforations 6 and having a valve-opening 7 at its bottom. An inner guard 8 is arranged over the valveh Serial No. 701,486. (No model.)

opening toprevent the same from becoming clogged with clothes,and a circular valve disk or plate 9 is supported beneath the opening 7 by a frame or cage 11. Ahorizontally-dis posed tube 10, similar to that described in the said patent, extends from one end of the steamer to the other and communicates with the space surrounding the same. The tube .has its ends open and is provided with perforations to permit steam and suds to be injected into the body of clothes being Washed from the middle of' the mass. The upper edges of the inner steamer are provided with outwardly-extending flanges, which are supported upon substantially L.shaped iianges of the body 1 and the partition 2, and these L-shaped flanges also receive a cover 12, which closes the inner steamer during the op; eration of Washing. g

The vWater-receptacle 4, which eXtends the entire 'length of the body 1, is narrow, as shown, and is provided with a removable cover 13, supported by suitable L-shaped ianges, similar to the supports for the main cover 12 and this water-receptacle is designed to contain a supply of hot water adapted to be used after the water originally placed Within the main compartment has become saturated with dirt by reason of clothes and other fabrics being boiled, and after such dirty Water has been drawn o through a suitable discharge tube or vent 14 the clean Water may be obtained. The clean water of the compartment 4 is discharged into t-he main compartment by means of a sliding valve or cut-off 15, arranged to cover and uncover an opening 17 of the partition 2 and mounted in vertical ways 20, consisting of vertical strips secured to the partition at opposite sides of the valveopenin g. The sliding valve or cut-o is operated by means of a rod 18, extending upward through a perforation 19 of the Lshaped flange of the partition and provided at its upper end with an exteriorlyarranged handle 21. The rod, which extends between the covers of the steam-Washer, is adapted to be operated Without removing either of them, and it. is preferably located at one end of the steamer, as shown.

It will be apparent that the steamwasher, which is adapted to operate similar to that shown and described in the said patent, is

capable during the operation of Washing of heating a supply of Water in the receptacle and of holding the same therein ready for use as soon as it is required and that after the Water originally placed within the main compartment has become saturated with dirt such Water and suds may be drawn off, and the clothes may then be rinsed with the hot clean water from the receptacle 4 Without necessitating the hands of the operator coming in contact with the dirty suds or With the clothes while the same are in such suds. The rod for operating the eut-off is arranged between the covers, and the handle may be grasped to operate the valve or eut-off without removing either of the covers.

Changes in the form, proportion, and minor details ot' construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

In a steam-Washer, the combination of a body provided at the upper edges of its Walls with supporting-flanges, a vertical partition extending upward from the bottom of the through the guide-opening and connected with the valve and adapted to operate the same without removing the covers, the latter being adapted to be removed Without aiecting the valve, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

IVASHING'ION I. BURKE.

lVitnesses:

FRANK SPRING, O. K. JELKs. 

